Iceland Opens EU Defence Talks as Reykjavik Reconsiders Full Accession

Iceland said it will begin negotiations with the European Union on a security and defence partnership, broadening ties that already include membership of the European Economic Area and the Schengen free-travel zone. Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir announced the move during a visit by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who toured the strategically important Keflavik air base on Thursday. The defence talks come as Reykjavik reconsiders EU membership. Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir told Politico that 58 percent of Icelanders support reopening formal accession negotiations, which were suspended in 2013. The governing coalition has pledged to hold a referendum on restarting the process by 2027, although issues such as fisheries and agriculture remain sensitive. Iceland is the only NATO member without a standing army, yet its North Atlantic location gives it outsized strategic weight for both the alliance and the EU. Gunnarsdóttir said the government aims to boost contributions to allied operations, including cyber-defence and coast-guard capabilities, while continuing to rely on NATO partners for conventional military protection.